


We come in peace

by TFALokiwriter



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Chulak, Gen, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Interesting, Jaffa, Klingons, Stargate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-26
Updated: 2016-03-26
Packaged: 2018-05-28 03:30:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6313669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TFALokiwriter/pseuds/TFALokiwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"We come in peace!" O'Neill shouted, waving his hand. </p><p>Well, he certainly didn't want to be fired at by god-damn disruptors.</p><p>Started: 3/21/2016.</p><p>Completed: 3/31/2016 at 9:52 AM.</p><p>Set after Season 3 episode Seth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Peace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story idea came from watching two seasons of Stargate SG1, and with the idea of Teal'c standing by the side of the biobed where an ailing O'Nell lay in sick bay it seemed something to generally go after.

"DIAL US HOME, DANIEL!" 

"I am going fast as I can, Jack!"

Carter looked over to see the colonel's injury.

"Colonel, your leg!"

"I'll live."

Teal'c saw the Goa'uld's staffs were different. They were silver not bronze, speaking of which, that is what most of the firing squad had. He had not seen this type of firing spears before. They were usually a shade of bronze/green but silver was a different subject. Back when he was Apothis's first prime, Teal'c had heard of Jaffa spears capable of killing the Tau'ri but never they had used these because they would bring the undesirable effect of death within days when the person could make a honorable host. It was phased out, much to his knowledge, long before he had become prime for this reason.

The Stargate opened revealing a pool of water inside. Teal'c fired at the squad easily taking out the ones on the middle knocking them down to the ground and giving SG1 some leeway to escape. It was logical to take out the middle ones since they would have taken the remaining members of the stargate crew down in seconds flat during their departure. Carter fired at the sidelines of the firing squad then ran right through the gate. The attack was unexpected. They had used MLAP first before going in. Speaking of which the MLAP was strangely missing. 

"I am right behind you, Daniel, it is just a scrape." 

"Just a scrape? That is NOT a scrape!"

"Daniel Jackson, I will help O'Neill."

Daniel looked over, visibly concerned  in the direction of Teal'c but it was replaced by reassurance. 

"Okay, I will see you at the base." Daniel said. 

Daniel went into the stargate. Teal'c put the spear into its sheath in a part of the vest recently added to the uniform on his back. Teal'c picked up the colonel while the man was visibly in pain. If the rumors were correct then there wouldn't be a cure for the disease that is currently inside O'Neill's body. But for being around humans for two years he has gone to understand that hope is a choice to fall back on. Something always happens. They could surely figure a cure for a incurable poison. That is what fueled Teal'c.

Hope. 

Teal'c went through the Stargate.

* * *

Doctor  Janet Frasier arrived to the stargate with her medical team prepared for the oncoming wounded colonel. Carter came out of the gate first coming down to the platform panting. She had blood coming from the side of her left temple. She turned her head in the direction of the gate that was still powered. Instead only Daniel came out. He came to the end of the platform then looked over anticipating to see Teal'c and O'Neill side by side, only except, they didn't come out. In fact  they didn't come out. Not for the first five minutes. Only firing shots came out of the gate landing square on the wall below the glass. Then came a Goa'uld who was taken out by the firing squad.

"Close the gate!" Hammond ordered. 

The titanium trillium Iris closed over the gate and the portal behind it closed. 

Daniel turned his head away, visibly stunned, in the direction of Frasier.

"They were right behind me." Daniel said. 

* * *

Teal'c came out of the gate into a much alien world.

"IT'S STAR FLEET!" Came a male cry. 

O'Neil saw familiar brown faces with forehead crests and some of them did not have these forehead crests. Their attire was very familiar. It was like they had been transported into the 1960's _Star Trek: The Original Series._ They held up their disruptors in the direction of Teal'c. There were behind large buildings that resembled basic sand colored houses. He could see the faint shape of a familiar vessel in the sky that was iconic and both fictional, but legendary.

"We come in peace!" O'Neill shouted, waving his hand. 

Well, he certainly didn't want to be fired at by god-damn disruptors.

"Liars." The Klingon captain said.

"I give you my word, we do not lie," Teal'c said. "And you are Klingons."

"Yes." The Klingons said.

"All of you?" Teal'c asked.

"Yes." The Klingons said.

"If you are Klingons, why do half of you not have the forehead crests?" Teal'c said.

"Don't answer that, captain." Klingon Commander Chewlack said.

"None of your business."  Forchen,the Klingon second commander, said.

"I love to stick around but I have a wonderful gash on my leg and I would hate for it to be treated by a doctor on the _Enterprise_." O'Neill sarcastically said.

"You are with the _Enterprise_!"  The Klingon captain said.

"Negative. That we are not." Teal'c said.

"Yes, we are." O'Neill said.

"The starship you speak of does not exist." Teal'c said.

"Yes, it does. Look, we are speaking with Klingons!" O'Neill said.

"Those may be a variation of Klingons, O'Neill." Teal'c said.

The Klingons turned around, mumbling amongest themselves, bickering how to decide someone wasn't just fooling them. The Klingons turned back in their direction with wary eyes.

"Tell us who is the captain of the _Enterprise_ ," The Klingon captain said. "And the item that they use to travel back in time."

"Captain James T. Kirk with Commander Spock and its medical specialist Doctor Leonard McCoy," O'Neill said. "They sling shot around the sun." They appeared to be baffled. "No, really, I am not kidding you!" O'Neill shook his hand. "And then there is this big doughnut capable of speaking and sending them into whichever time they wish. There is more than one manner of time travel such as a solar flare with good old 'Gate." He pointed over his shoulder. "Teal'c, look at the sky."

Teal'c looked up in the direction of the sky.

"I see," Teal'c said. "It seems we have jumped universes, O'Niell."

"Ya think?" O'Neill said.

 


	2. Wounded

"It is odd that the Klingons left as they did," Jim said, as the landing party was wary. "Normally they don't leave a planet they conquer."

"This is unlike Klingons." Spock agreed.

"Klingon's gettin' spooked," McCoy said, almost baffled. "And they say nothin' scares them."

"They must have a good reason to inform us that the planet is no longer in their interests," Jim said. "I never seen a Klingon scared like that. Not in the five years I have dealt with them."

They suddenly came aboard a area of Klingon bodies that had holes in their torsos. However, there was on the brink of death still propped up against a bush just a little out of the small town where a trail of blood followed after him being mostly the Klingon's blood. The Klingon first officer looked up with one hand covering his wound with a scowl on his face. The scowl then turned into a pained expression briefly closing his eyes. His disruptor had been virtually crushed.

Jim came over to the Klingon.

"What happened here?" Jim asked.

"The . . . sphere .  . . opened." Chewlack said.

Spock walked over to  gigantic two story tall circular metal piece with a set of stairs leading down. There was a rounded item from across with several marking on it being investigated by the security team. In the middle of the rounded smaller item was a red circular gem in the middle that was not glowing. Spock scanned the device with his tricorder, intrigued, by the alien device that he had never seen before. Jim looked over in the direction Spock was in. McCoy Prime was scanning the injured Klingon to see if there was anything he could to for him.

"Sphere?" Jim repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, and we were . . . foolish . . ."  Chewlack  admitted.  "To challenge the one with a golden emblem on his forehead."

McCoy looked toward Jim.

"Jim, this Klingon is dyin'," McCoy said. "There is nothin' I can do for him."

"How long?" Jim asked.

"Any minute now." McCoy said.

The Klingon grabbed the captain by the shoulder  lifting himself up.

"I challenged him," Chewlack  said. "Don't challenge the one named . . . Teal'c!"

The Klingon  let go of Jim's shoulder and his back met the ground with wide eyes and a terrified expression on his face.

"Captain," Spock said. "My tricorder is unable to detect what kind of material the sphere is made of."

"A new element?" Jim said. "But we have discovered all the elements there are."

"Well, we just discovered a new one." McCoy said.

* * *

 "My apologies, O'Neill, but logic dictates in a situation like this it must be done."

**C-crack**

"DAMN IT, TEAL'C, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SET MY LEG!" O'Neill shouted. "OW OW OW! THAT WAS A BIT UNNECESSARY!"

"I have, at one point, been shot at by a jaffa weapon without my symbiote, and while fleeing my leg was set in the different direction," He placed a pillow under the leg. O'Neill sighed, relieved, "Now that is much better." And Teal'c continued on. "I, at one point, in my childhood  was reckless. . . Before I had met Bra'tac. There was a healer in Chulak who dealt with injuries to potential hosts. Claimed there was no magic to it."

"How long do you expect for the landing party to find us?" O'Neill asked.

"Ten minutes and four seconds." Teal'c said.

"Chippery," O'Neill sighed, then he looked over to his operating watch on his wrist.  "Then I get my leg fixed by the good Doc McCoy."

"Doctor Frasier is more than happy that she does not go on missions," Teal'c said. "I do not understand how the doctor does what he does when he could die."

"It is _Star Trek_ ," O'Neill said. "McCoy is a main character. He cannot die off until The Powers That Be decide to make a major change in the franchise by expanding it into the future. And besides, he is best friends with Captain Kirk and obviously married with Spock under a telepathic bond."

"Surprising, I do not see the bond they share." Teal'c said.

"They have unresolved sexual tension and besides, they bicker like a old married couple." O'Neill said.

"They have major differences." Teal'c said.

"And they love each other," O'Neill said. "How can it not be obvious to the guy who is learning the ropes of humanity and is warrior-warrior guy?"

"Warriors do not ever take men as their mates." Teal'c said.

"Well, do they ever venture around with their sexuality?" O'Neill said.

"Negative." Teal'c said.

". . . Ever?" O'Neill said.

"We know our attractions, for if we did not, we would not be married to our wives." Teal'c said.

"Bromance?" O'Neill asked.

"I am unfamiliar to that term." Teal'c said.

"A bromance is a close, emotionally intense, non-sexual bond between two (or more) men." O'Neil said.

"Oh.  I see." Teal'c said.

Teal'c paused.

"So I take it there _are_ bromances." O'Neill said.

"Affirmative." Teal'c said.

"Did you ever have a bromance,T?" O'Neill asked.

"Negative." Teal'c said.

"So in your mind, Doc  McCoy and  Spock are engaged in a bromance?" O'Neill asked.

"Affirmative." Teal'c said.

"Aren't you glad I introduced you to Star Trek?" O'Neill asked.

"79 episodes, and eight movies," Teal'c said. "I am honored to have been introduced."

"There are nine movies." O'Neill said.

"Eight." Teal'c said.

"Nine." O'Neill said.

"Nine." Teal'c said.

O'Neill frowned.

"You just said eight." O'Neill said.

"Eight. "

"List  them."

" _Star Trek: The Motion Picture_ , _Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan_ , _Star Trek III: The Search for Spock_ , _Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country_ , _Star Trek: First Contact_ , and _Star Trek: Insurrection."_

"Everyone hated how Kirk bowed out." O'Neill said.

"He did not participate in a play, O'Neill." Teal'c said.

"I meant everyone hates how the captain died, Teal'c." O'Neill said.

Teal'c raised an arched eyebrow.

"Captain Kirk has expired?" Teal'c said.

"Or will for that matter." O'Neill said.

Teal'c lowered his eyebrow.

"I do not understand." Teal'c said.

"You know there's another. . . no wait. . ."  O'Neill shook his hand. "I rather you not go through what other trekkers are going through."

"What are they going through?" Teal'c asked.

"Denial." O'Neill said.

Teal'c tilted his head.

"Are you in denial?" Teal'c asked.

A smirk grew on O'Neill's face.

"Like you said, T, there are eight movies." O'Neill said.

Teal'c raised both eyebrows a that then he lowered them and straightened his head.

"As you say." Teal'c said.

O'Neill noticed they were in a gray-yellow room with several antiques of the sorts that resembled artifacts. If Daniel was here he would be comparing them to late Egyptian era or some damn tribal culture that existed. There was golden and white paint on some of the vases. Carter's eyes would have widened as though following what Daniel was rambling as if she understood it, and Teal'c would be on the same trail of thought that O'Neill would be on. Of course he had seen _The Mummy_. O'Neill knew a thing or two about taking what is not yours, such as, lets say, burial antiques. Burial grounds was a big no-no to visit on ANY planet regardless of what  Daniel would be saying.

"Is it me or is there a good chance Goa'uld colonized this planet with Egyptian culture and left everyone in the dust?" O'Neill asked.

"It appears so," Teal'c said. "While you were experiencing a black out I took the opportunity to learn what planet we are on."

"And?" O'Neill asked.

"And we are on Chulak." Teal'c said.

"No way," O'Neill said. "The buildings were a lot different."

"As I have noted, and the appearances of the inhabitants. They are Tok'Ra."  Teal'c said.

There was still faint pain coming from O'Neill's leg.

"Tok'ra." O'Neill said.

"Affirmative." Teal'c said.

"Well, that is good." O'Neill said.

"Indeed. I have learned that the Jaffa here are free-willed and their symbiotes do not enslave them," Teal'c said.  "They have what you would call first ladies and first gentlemen taking the role of 'President'. The President of Chulak is elected every two hundred years. There is a complex system to ensure the new president is not the same Tok'ra and host. It also appears that Apopthis never knew of Earth or came to Earth for that matter."

"What about SG-1?" O'Neill asked.

"O'Neill, SG-1 never existed in this universe." Teal'c said.

"So we went through some quantum mirror like Daniel did." O'Neill said.

"On the contrary, we jumped universes." Teal'c said.

"Yes, you said that previously." O'Neill said.

"Briefly," Teal'c said. "For the moment, the Stargate was a Universe Gate due to unknown factors and conditions. However the only logical conclusion is that a rare type of Jaffa spear gave it the power it needed with a strike. Logically, we were sent here on accident by enemy fire."

"You know, that sounds a lot like what Carter would say." O'Neill said.

"I am aware." Teal'c said.

"Have you been playing cards with her?" O'Neill said.

"Affirmative," Teal'c nodded. "It is a relaxing activity."

"You have a broad definition of relaxing, T." O'Neill said.

"Captain Carter has a habit of talking about time travel and quantum realities during a card game," Teal'c said. "And when she does, she is usually about to make a match. I have learned she attempts to make me lower my barriers under a false pretense that the game is going adequately when it is really not." O'Neill had a laugh. "I have recently decided to stop playing against her. She has introduced me into a new game called 'Chess'."

"Sam defeating you over cards," O'Neill had a good laugh. "You know  that is quite funny."

"She is a fine warrior." Teal'c said.

"I'll say." O'Neill said.

"Daniel Jackson told me my chess skills need work."  Teal'c said.

"Knowing you, you'll get it in no time." O'Neill said.

"Affirmative." Teal'c said

O'Neill looked over toward his wrist watch then back toward Teal'c .

"It has been thirteen minutes." O'Neill said, sounding like he didn't believe it.

"Apparently this time continuum is different to our own." Teal'c said.

"So time is going faster here? It feels like it has been nine minutes." O'Neill said.

"Precisely." Teal'c said.

"That should be expected." O'Neill said.

"How is the leg, O'Neill?"  Teal'c asked.

"The pain is tolerable." O'Neill said.

A woman came into the room dressed in a white attire that seem progressive: white matching pants, white jacket, a unusual circular silver item on her forehead with the shape of an 'H', she had bracelets around her wrists, and she appeared to have tattoo's along her neck. Her crystal blue eyes met Teal'c to whom she raised her right eyebrow at the symbol on his forehead. Her reaction indicated that this was the first she had seen. She lowered her eyebrow making the comment of "Apopthis died long ago." To Teal'c. Teal'c could sense there a Tok'ra inside her.

"May I speak with you alone, Teal'c?"

"What you need to say can be said with my friend."

"Your friend needs medical care that we cannot give. His injury is beyond our comprehension."

O'Neill rolled his eye.

"It is just a leg with a _gash_."

The nurse frowned.

"No, it is more than that, you are infected with a disease that can kill you in a week. We can help you, after your external injury is repaired, with a infant Tok'ra to cure the illness willingly and removing him/her afterwards would mean your death." Teal'c stared in her direction. "Tok'ra cannot heal wounds severe such as yours. Burns, illness, and less minor injuries are easy to take care of. It would take great time for a Tok'ra to heal yours. A week if he or she were implanted previous before the injury. Your injury would overwhelm the Tok'ra and make it die."

"Woah, woah, woah, I am not getting a  snake inside my body! Sorry, had one in my body once--well, twice! I am not doing it again! Not a pleasant experience."

"It is illegal to take a host with some specie unknown like you.  And punishable by death."'

 _At least that has not changed,_ O'Neill thought.

"You are mistaken. He is a Tau'ri."

"But Tau'ri are a fable. A legend. A myth!"

The two men shook their heads.

"They are not," O'Neill said. "All of you came from Earth. At least your ancestors."

"Earth?" The nurse said, puzzled.

"That is what the  Tau'ri call their world," Teal'c said. "I was generally shocked to hear this, as well, two years ago."

"And who are you?" The nurse asked, stepping back half afraid.

"Colonel  Jack O'Neill," O'Neill said. "And this is my friend Teal'c. Former first prime of  Apopthis. He is on the good side."

"You are from the past." The nurse said.

"Affirmative." Teal'c said.

The nurse was wary, staring at the two, her hand grazing along a blade.

"We will find your kind and send you away, immediately."

"Nurse, I have a request."

"Hm?"

"Alone."

"I don't want a serpent."

Teal'c turned his head toward O'Neill.

"I am not referring to a Tok'ra being placed inside you, O'Neill," Teal'c said.  "Purely for the curiosity of the Tau'ri. I keep my word."

"No offense, but I wouldn't want to live sleepless." O'Neill's eye lids grew heavy, a strong urge crying inside his body to attempt repairing the damage done, and his eyes closed.

Teal'c left the room with the nurse.


	3. Comfort

Most of the Klingon starships that had been cloaked and in orbit had quickly left after word of Teal'c's feat. In fact most of the Klingon starships beamed their landing parties up without informing them why and left several of their camps abandoned, but plenty of dead were left behind. It was foolish, one Klingon commander would later comment, leaving a planet just because of one man. But there were countless others like him (The warriors, so they rumored, with staffs capable of taking down a Klingon by one blast. Now a thousand of them? The Klingon empire would have made a great enemy, who was very overpowered) that were bold to face the Klingons and not cowardly.

In fact, they didn't come the time that Teal'c estimated they would.

It has been one hour and thirty-two minutes.

Which was interesting.

Which meant that Teal'c had to unconventionally find them.

Teal'c also learned that this civilization of Chulak had achieved warp but  they did not always venture off world.

* * *

Daniel stood on the platform leading to the Stargate in the gate room.

"Daniel, it has been twenty-four hours." Carter said, coming to his side.

"I know what you are going to say," Daniel said. "But they are not dead."

"SG-2 did not find them." Carter said.

"How many times have we came back with half of the cavalry?" Daniel asked, his head turned toward Carter. "And sometimes we made it back without them."

"For all we know they could have been zapped away." Carter said.

"I don't think so. If they were to have died, don't you think the Goa'uld would be threatening us and gloating?" Daniel said. "That is their usual ammo after killing one of our own or capturing us." Carter  paused, considering the thought. "I do not believe Jack and Teal'c would go down _that_ easily." He looked over toward the gate with his hands in his pockets.  "We know their luck better than we know if a black cat is going to come across our path on a alien planet."

"Daniel. . ."  Carter started

"And we are not going to hold their funeral. Not right now, at least," Daniel said. "We should wait."

"A week?" Carter asked. "You would rather wait a week to know if they are dead or not?"

Daniel nodded.

"A week, and if they don't come back, then we can hold their funeral." Daniel said.

Carter had a sad expression on her face while she had one hand on Daniel's shoulder.

"I miss them, too." Carter said.

Daniel turned in the direction of Carter.

"They better come back," Daniel said. "Who else is going to teach Teal'c to play Doom? I promised him I would introduce him to the game."

* * *

"Doctor McCoy, we are in need of your service."

McCoy turned around at the sound of the voice where a dark man stood holding a staff of some kind pressed against the ground and had a emblem on his forehead imprinted by the letter 'U'. He was roughly Spock's height and he was very muscular.  Teal'c was oddly calm and composed but his eyes betrayed him as they showed worry and concern.

"You must be Teal'c."

"Affirmative."

McCoy looked around to see if the other members of the landing party were in sight (as he was treating a perhaps strangely still living Klingon apparently unconscious) and it seemed they were not. He flipped out his communicator. It was just his luck that the one who sent the Klingons fleeing like a bunch of cowards would come to him for help.

"McCoy to Kirk."

"Kirk here."

"That Tear'lick fellow is here."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow.

"There is no 'tear' nor 'lick' in my name," Teal'c said. "And it appears we have company."

Teal'c caught sight of a small group of Klingons, who apparently had not left, showing themselves from behind the rock aiming their disruptors at their direction. Teal'c lifted his spear up then aimed it at the direction of the Klingons, with remarkable trajectory, then fired it multiple times sending them flying into the air and crashing onto the floor seriously injured.  At least two of the Klingons died on impact. The fifth and sixth Klingons hid behind the large collection of rocks. The third Klingon's hand was severely burned but he managed to hold the disruptor with his free hand thanks to the sixth Klingon and shakingly hold it up then pressed the trigger. At some point during the commotion that unfolded. McCoy let go of the communicator.

"Bones?" Jim's voice came over the communicator. "Bones!"

Jim closed the communicator sharing a glance with the Vulcan. They had come to the scene where Jaffa were dumping the dead Klingons into custom made holes that the Klingons had forced them to make for their own dead but the joke was on them surprisingly. The Jaffa did not have many weapons to defend themselves from the unexpected attack. Many of their greek styled homes were in need of repairs as were many other buildings.  Jim had discussed with the Jaffa overseeing the operation. There were quite a few who had symbols on their foreheads without the circular shape. Some of them had 'M' on their forehead. Apparently they had shuttles they used often to get from place to place on the planet but their main course of travel was through an object the general, Kaulk, referred to as the 'Stargate'.

"I can guarantee this will not happen again, Mr Kaulk."

"Please, call me Kaulk."

"All right, Kaulk."

Jim and Spock departed unfortunate scenery.

* * *

O'Neill's eyes opened to find himself in a dull shaded but brighter room.  To his right there was Teal'c standing there with his arms behind his back. Across from them was a Klingon placed on a biobed with hands to his side that were strapped to the  biobed and his eyes were closed. Strangely, O'Neill could hear the hum of the engines and the feeling of a bubble around the starship in space. The hum was low,vibrating and easily heard. It reminded O'Neill like he was on a Goa'uld starship except this was a Tau'ri piece of work.

"How long have I been out, T?" O'Neill asked.

"Eleven hours and fourteen minutes." Teal'c said.

O'Neill's jaw briefly dropped.

"Fourteen _hours_?" O'Neill repeated.

"Affirmative." Teal'c said.

O'Neill briefly looked in the direction of the Klingon then back toward Teal'c.

"And the Klingon?" O'Neill asked.

"He is recovering from friendly fire." Teal'c said.

O'Neill raised an eyebrow.

"Teal'c, if he were injured by one of his own. . . . wouldn't he be on a Bird-of-Prey rather than a star fleet vessel?" O'Neill asked.

"Apparently I scared off a flee." Teal'c said.

O'Neill was skeptical but otherwise impressed.

"You . . . scared. . . them off?"  O'Neill asked.

"Affirmative." Teal'c said.

"Next you are going to say they declared you as a honorable and fearsome warrior then fled on foot requesting a emergency beam up." O'Neill said.

"Affirmative." Teal'c said.

"And they say Klingon's do not flee from a fight." O'Neill said.

"There was only one who managed to be beamed up," Teal'c said. "Most of the group expired shortly after your fainting spell. Chulak is joining Star Fleet in this universe."

Strangely,  O'Neill could not feel his right leg. Which was strange for one. Normally when his leg was patched up he could swing it, kick it, stub his toe into a corner by accident, wave it, and walk on it. O'Neill heard the door to the room open up where good old Doctor McCoy came right in with a grim look on his face. Just as how O'Neill had remembered the doctor from the original series. The movie version of the original series had a entirely different feel: military, loss, friendship, 'illogical' (at which point O'Neill shortly began to believe this universe was being dreamed up by either McCoy or Spock) and religion. The Original Series had a curious exploring mood that went in all directions except for going full military themed attire much like _The Next Generation._ The grave look turned into a scowl. Almost as though the good doctor was unpleased by what he had to say.

"Mr O'Neill," McCoy said. "I am afraid you do not have lon' to live. Four days at the most." McCoy said.

Thirty five years serving his country and two years spent keeping the planet safe.

"The leg is killing me, ain't it?" O'Neill said.

"No," McCoy said. "You have a infection which I suppose your Jaffa friend knows what it is."

"Can't you amputate my leg?" O'Neill asked.

"The infection has turned into a disease that I cannot cure," McCoy said. "You are out of luck. It has spread to your hip bone."

There was a long pause.

"We are going to the doughnut guy, are we?" O'Neill said.

"Yes, and if you try to walk on that leg then it will shatter into pieces, so don't start thinkin' about walkin'!" The doctor looked over toward the Jaffa. "Just because you shoved me out of the line of fire does _not_ mean we are in each others debt. Ya hear me?"

"Affirmative," Teal'c nodded. McCoy walked over toward the Klingon then looked up toward the monitor of the Klingon as he headed to the other patient. "O'Neill, I have yet to tell Captain Kirk what we are part of."

"Then how does he know my last name?" O'Neill asked.

"Standard practice to tell a doctor who they are performing on except for telling their rank," Teal'c said. "Your rank was irrelevent." 

McCoy looked over.

"Wait, rank?" McCoy said, this time with a undoubtedly concerned and worried look on his face.

O'Neill sighed, putting one hand on his face.

 _Sometimes I hate time travel_ , O'Neill thought taking his hand off his face.

"Of course it is." O'Neill said.

"Indeed." Teal'c said.

Almost as if on cue,punctually, there came in two men into sick bay side by side. They were often compared in popular culture as Space Husbands and 'Sherlock and Watson in space'. O'Neill did not understand how Sherlock and Watson were gay of all people! They were strictly colleagues (Aka best friends for life whether you like it or not) and partners. Nor were they husbands in space. Purely best friends. The long gazes Jim had for Spock could easily be explained away as fondness, admiration, and brotherly according to his book. Disregarding the last episode of _The Original Series_ that also, in turn, disregarded the utopia that was built up over three seasons. Women had been implied to be allowed taking on important positions given their roles in the series and onwards in _Star Trek_. The last episode of _The Original Series_ was the worst one in the history of _Star Trek_.

"Ah," O'Neill said. "Captain Kirk, it is an honor to meet you in the flesh. Huge fan."

Spock raised an eyebrow at the last part.

"A fan is a person devoted to a certain subject or person." Teal'c said.

"You have dealt with that term?" Spock asked.

"Affirmative. Captain Carter has used the term to describe Daniel Jackson when he insists we watch The Mummy on movie night." Teal'c said.

"There is a movie about. . .a mummy?" Spock asked, his eyebrow lowered.

For a moment there O'Neill thought Spock's eyebrow would go further.

"Affirmative," Teal'c said. "It is a thoroughly entertaining movie."

"I am Colonel Jack O'Neill," O'Neill said. "Part of SG-1 from Stargate command. We came through the stargate. What is the stardate?  Is it 2269?"

"Affirmative." Spock said.

O'Niell grew silent looking over toward Teal'c then back with a visibly stunned facial expression then back toward the captain.

"What is this. . . stargate?" Jim asked.

"A two story sphere with symbols along the rim. Can't miss it." O'Neill said.

"You mean the sphere thing you came through?" McCoy asked. 

"Affirmative." Both men said.

"And you have been using this gate to get from place to place?" Jim asked, profoundly troubled by that.

"We jumped Universes," O'Neill said. "We were heading back to Earth under enemy fire."

"Earth?" Jim said, with a  raised eyebrow.

"Yes, our Earth that hasn't gone through the Eugenics wars." O'Neill said.

"That certainly explains why your friend knows the Guardian of Forever." Jim said.

"Knowledge of the Guardian is classified in Star Fleet." Spock added.

"We never did discover if we had a counterpart like the Guardian." O'Neill said.

"If there were, Earth would have been conquered before my time." Teal'c said.

O'Neill punched Teal'c shoulder, almost teasingly.

"Ah, you are just wishing you were the one who rebelled first against Apopthis." O'Neill said.

"I do not, O'Neill," Teal'c said. "Finding the Tok'ra would not have been easy. Comparing that to what could have been: _this_ is the easy path."

O'Neill laughed.

"What year are you from?" Jim asked.

"1999, and we are from Earth. " O'Neill said. 

"And you are not even the least surprised that you are in the future," McCoy said. "Which is odd given that many people in your position would be frightened."

"Heh, saving the world one too many times is bound to come with weird perks to the job," O'Neill said. "For example, in our universe there is  a show called Star Trek about the adventures of the USS Enterprise with several prominent people being Scotty, Sulu, Chekov, Captain Kirk, Commander Spock, Uhura, Christine Chapel, and Doctor McCoy. All of you are practically legends for crying out loud on my planet! You've inspired our civilization to advance. Hell! I don't think we would have mobile phones if it wasn't for the invention of the Communicator."

Teal'c nodded.

"That is true. Humanity underwent a technological revolution, which, technically it is still undergoing."  Teal'c said.

"Legends," Jim said, this time with a amused laugh turning his head toward Spock rubbing his hands together. "What do you think about that?"

"Flattering but it does make sense they know our names. Including how Teal'c recognized Mr Scott and greeted him," Spock replied. "Otherwise what you described to us is a fascinating example how a fictional television show can impact a civilization which is oddly accurate for being fictional."

"Indeed." Teal'c said.

O'Neill could compare and contrast Spock and Teal'c, completely different people, with similar mannerisms. He could write an essay about it letting it be two pages to three pages long. His eyes started to close then the three men went into the next room appearing to prepared for a discussion if Teal'c and O'Neill were not Klingon agents or a other world entity's agents. O'Neill forced his eyes open. If he didn't have long to live, shouldn't he take advantage of that? Well, then again he will see his old friends who he had served alongside for years or  even briefly on the field. He would get to see Charlie.

"Teal'c, what is the disease called?" O'Neill asked.

"The Tau'ri freezer," Teal'c replied. "Named after how it affects the Tau'ri. It is compared to a deep freeze where cold is not experienced, oddly enough, just numbness as they were in the cold and their skin turns  blue on the respective affected body parts." There was a pause between the two. "O'Neill, I will not leave your side while you expire. You are my friend who helped me and for that, I am forever in your debt. My family is safe because we met. I do not regret a day I served with you, O'Neill. The past two years have been the honorable ones I have spent with anyone. You are a honorable warrior. Daniel  Jackson informed me of a word. A word that is ingrained in the Tau'ri culture. You are my best friend."

"If you are my friend, then you will respect my wish to not have a Tok'ra."

Teal'c nodded.

"As you wish," Teal'c took his friend's free hand and squeezed it. "You do not need to be afraid, O'Neill."

"I am dying, Teal'c," O'Neill said. "Call me . . . Jack." The man looked up toward Teal'c.  "I am glad to met you, too."


	4. Analyze

"Jim, this man has _dog  tags_ ," McCoy said. "Those were used in the 20th century and used as identification. From all the civilizations we came across none of them had distinctive dog tags!"

"But what if Mr O'Neill is from another planet?" Jim asked. "Not from Earth. There is no Stargate. Will we be deliberately changing our history by sending him into a past he does not belong?"

"Mr O'Neill and Teal'c recognized us,captain," Spock said. "And knew correctly the names of the senior officers."

"But that doesn't explain his reaction when Mr  Spock told him the stardate." McCoy said.

"He knows something."  Jim said.

"If he is from where he claims to be," Spock said. "He knows more about our future than he should know."

Jim beamed looking at the men by his sides.

"Gentlemen,speaking of which, Star Fleet has offered me admiralcy." Jim said.

Spock raised an eyebrow.

McCoy frowned.

"You can't sit at a desk even if your life depended on it!" McCoy said.

"I am troubled why they offered a reasonably young man a desk job." Spock said.

"You know me too well,  Bones," Jim said. "I am refusing their offer. Giving myself another ten years in space." He looked over toward Spock. "And I am guessing you are going to have some down time."

"I do not believe in shore leave." Spock said.

"Damn it, Spock," McCoy said. "Down time is havin' time for your self! A break! A vacation! More than shore-leave!"

"Down time is illogical." Jim said, doing his best Spock impression.

Spock raised both eyebrows in surprise.

"I am glad you agreed with me." Spock said.

McCoy's jaw slightly dropped hearing Jim agreeing with Spock over down time.

"That is it, I am retirin' after we get back to Earth."  McCoy said, shaking his hands.

Jim would miss this, the arguments between his CMO and First Officer. After they go their separate ways. Spock raised an eyebrow at the doctor's remark and replied. Some day he won't be around to watch them bicker any longer or stop their arguments. At one point they had been on a planet that took every metaphor and made them real so when Spock and McCoy were compared to civil war generals fighting there was a entire battle field set up with cannons, guns, and they were completely dressed in uniform. Jim was the one who made the comment. It wasn't much later that his shirt got torn to pieces and he fell for a girl afterwards who was orchestrating the entire scene. Spock mentioned it was illogical (and then a minute later he was dressed up as a philosopher) earning a 'Damn it, Jim' from Bones for seemingly no reason. They lost three men thanks to the planet.

Everyone was going to be reassigned to new starships, the Enterprise would go under refit, some would retire, some would go up in ranks, and some would take a break from the wild exploring they did. Teal'c, in some way, reminded Jim of Spock for some reason. A reason he could not pin point. Was this because of the seemingly stoic impression? The hands behind his back? The arched eyebrow that wasn't quite Vulcan? He decided to pay the two a visit,later,just to ask a genuine question. A innocent question.

* * *

 "Colonel!" Carter awoke falling off her bed landing on the floor.

Carter used the side of the bed to get up.

"Damn nightmare." Carter said, looking over toward the alarm clock that read 3:57 AM.

Carter sighed, then put on her US air force themed slippers.

She had a nightmare of the colonel  dying before her eyes, turning ice cold, his fingers cold to the touch, and his breathing slowed. That one time when they had been stranded on Earth in a cold, arctic climate. One that had frozen Jaffa, presumably dead,left there for hundreds if not thousands of years. In her dream she was with him as were the entire team consisting of her, Teal'c, and Daniel. Teal'c appeared to be the saddest of the group just by the look in his eyes. There was loss and helplessness while the Jaffa's face was stoic. Janet was in the dream, too, just not around the dying patient. It felt all too real. Perhaps in one universe it did happen and was one hundred percent real.

Carter sat on the edge of the bed going through her hair with her right hand.

Then in the dream gray bands circulated around the colonel in a haze of gold and his bed was not there in the next second.

"He is still alive," Carter said,fiddling with the small cross around her neck.  "He is still alive, he is still alive."

* * *

Jim, eventually, had a briefing with the senior officers at the conference room. There were other officers at their stations for the moment being. Jim had decided to convene this meeting to settle some of their concerns regarding the two men who claimed to be from the past. His thoughts had some doubt in them, as well, but O'Neill seemed like a man who wouldn't lie about his intentions. As did Teal'c.

Jim nodded in the direction of Spock.

"Computer, search for results pertaining to Stargate command." Spock said.

"In 1996, there was a gateway discovered in Geza. A group of men were assembled under a command called  Stargate. Colonel Johnathan Jack O'Neill returned alone. The gate was buried back in Geza shortly afterwards. Stargate command was dissembled, classified, and never spoken about. There was only few paperwork that remained of the program. However, the gate was turned into scrapmetal afterwards due to a closed experiment and the gate had destroyed itself under rare, controlled conditions."

Spock's eyebrow raised up.

"Search for any mention of Goa'uld." Jim said.

"Negative. There are no mentions of Goa'uld." The computer replied.

"Computer, was there any Archeologist?" Uhura asked.

"Daniel  Jackson reportedly died in the event leading to Ra's demise. Ra's original species are unknown." The computer replied.

"Ra," McCoy said. "Isn't he the sun god?"

"Affirmative. Ra was killed." The computer replied.

Jim leaned back into his chair folding his arms.

"I have to wonder how they did that." McCoy said.

"Computer, how was Ra killed?" Uhura asked.

"A bomb was transported aboard the mothership." The computer said

Scotty, Uhura, Sulu, Chekov, and McCoy were looking in the direction of the two commanding officers.

"Are you tellin' us  that Star Fleet could make bombs tae destroy a entire spaceship before we had that cabability?" Scotty said.

"Possibly." Jim said.

"Computer, what kind of bomb was it?" Uhura asked.

"It was a nuclear bomb." The computer said.

"It is apparent that Ra was a Goa'uld," Spock said. "And he must have advanced the nuclear bomb, attempted to send it back to Earth, but he was stopped and instead was killed by the bomb he advanced."

"That makes a lot of sense." Scotty said.

"The damn Vulcan's right," McCoy said. "I have to agree with him on this."

"Computer,are there any information from the Vulcan side of things regarding this event?" Jim asked.

"Negative." The computer said.

"If Vulcans were aware of the Goa'uld then there is a good chance whatever the Goa'uld was participating in, my race would have been taken into the fold," Spock said. "And nothing would have been the same. Not even the establishment of Star Fleet."

"But we saw those Tok'ra," McCoy said. "They were free."

"Annihilating their false gods took countless years," Spock said. "The system lords were not wiped out until December 25th, 2023. They had operatives inside to infiltrate and required out-side help that still remains unclear to this day. No one really knows who helped them becoming a free civilization."

"That is interesting," Jim said. "The unknown allies."

* * *

"Jim,  I know what you are thinkin'." McCoy said, as they walked side by side headed toward their quarters.

Jim looked over toward McCoy, with a raised eyebrow but a bemused expression.

"Whatever may that be?" Jim asked.

"Learnin' your fate," McCoy said. "Bad idea. Remember how that worked out last time for Sir Galahaniz on the Elephant planet?"

Jim nodded.

"I remember quite well." Jim said.

"Well,after learnin' how he died, he bluntly went in the way of a rampagin' elephant because he was so shocked of his manner of death," McCoy said. "I certainly do not want you to die by simply bein' stunned."

"Bones,I won't get heavily stunned  that easily." Jim said.

"You were stunned when someone cloned you." McCoy said.

"But that _attempted_ clone was inadequate,"  Jim said. "He had blue eyes and was not my clone."

"Reckless!" McCoy said, rubbing the side of his temples. "Dealin' with two Jim's gives me a headache." He shook his head. "You practically fainted at seein' your face from seven years ago."

"At least there is not two 'Jim's walking around." Jim said.

"Shame his own biological clock was fixed to twenty-four hours," McCoy said.  "But the point is learning your death might be the cause of your death, Jim, so please do not ask."

They came to a stop at a door.

"I promise, Bones." Jim said.

"See you in the mornin'." McCoy said, with the doors opening before him and he went inside.

Jim walked past McCoy's quarters.

* * *

Daniel sat on a bench facing the ocean, alone, as the sun was coming up.

There was something about it that was otherwise serine about it. There was a parked car from across in a parking lot that was alone. Daniel appeared as though he had been here for hours. He thought back on what could have been. What could he have done?  Went through the gate _with_ them not without them. There are hundreds of ways the disappearance could have gone.  How it could have been avoided all together. How it was a rare and impossible event.

Solar flare had to be the culprit.

Teal'c and Jack were missing.

The ocean breeze and the scenery often relaxed Daniel when he came here. He didn't come here all the time but only when it was most needed. Just like now. It had been two days since the disappearance of Teal'c and Jack. The water lapping against the rocks pressed against the dirt. The ducks resting on the water surface swimming back and forth. Hammond had decided that SG-1, or what was left of it, would not be on missions. The rest of the other SG teams went on their missions they had been assigned and came back okay. Daniel was clinging onto hope that a man who took part in saving Earth but not twice was still alive and so was the Jaffa who saved their lives.  Teal'c would go with them to hell if it was required.

Teal'c referred to O'Neill as 'O'Neill' not 'Colonel O'Neill' like he referred to Carter as 'Captain Carter'. Sometimes Daniel found that odd but then again he disregarded that a close friendship that Teal'c shared with O'Neil. Teal'c had been by the man's side when he was dying and when Teal'c was undergoing a strange DNA sequence O'Neill was right by his side. When Teal'c was metamorphosing in a cocoon, there was only one name he could tell one person. And that was O'Neill. O'Neill bragged about how many people it took to get to him while they awaited on Teal'c's condition just to lighten the mood. That  number was fifteen. The Alien Mosquito larva were killed in part by science and the symbiote. Teal'c would be by O'Neill's side (seriously, if they got separated then Daniel had a rough idea how to find O'Neill. It was predictable. O'Neill would often be the one injured) most often in a cave. Oddly enough Daniel could find himself comparing their luck to the Spock and Kirk luck. Or more else the Spirk luck. 

They had a tendency to get stuck in caves or in difficult situations that involved the other getting hurt.

But this was not predictable.

Sometimes Daniel came here to ease his worry and concerns about finding Sha'ri again. He always dealt with the prospect of never seeing her again. But seeing her pregnant with Apophis child, then depart Abydos hand in hand with Apopthis, and the last glance she shared with him keeping back the knowledge that he was there. He theorized that she made a deal with the devil, her Goa'uld, matter of speaking. Something  that prevented the Goa'uld from blowing their cover. He would always love her no matter what happened. He cared about Sha'ri deeply. Knowing her son was out on Abydos, alive, not as a host being raised and prepared as Apophis's next host.

Someday they would be reunited, together, and no system lord will ever get between them again.

Daniel got up from the bench then headed toward the car.

* * *

"Do I die alone?" Jim asked.

O'Neill looked up toward the captain.

"It depends on what form of alone you mean." O'Neill said.

O'Neill had one eye on the Klingon who strangely was not waking up.

"Without family present." Jim said.

"The future can be changed," O'Neill reminded the man. "In 2293, there will be a starship named _Enterprise B_. Don't go on that damn tour, Captain Kirk, because hell is going to be unleased if you do not die with your friends around you. You are not going to die alone without them. No way in hell you are!"

"So if I go there. . . I will die  alone." Jim said.

"Or maybe not." O'Neill said.

Jim raised an eyebrow.

"But you just said--" Jim said.

"I just said not to go on a tour," O'Neill said. "I did not explicitly answer your question."

Teal'c was sitting on a biobed, his eyes closed, and his mind intent on Kelno'reem. Teal'c had already achieved it. It was similar to sleep far as O'Neill understood it. O'Neill had achieved Kelno'reem in Teal'cs body previously when their minds were switched. It was actually the most relaxing and mind clearing occasion O'Neill ever had. He could write a entire essay about how elevating it was and weigh the con side of a worm being inside his body. Which was totally uncomfortable.

"What about Spock's future?" Jim asked.

"I cannot say," O'Neill said. "Classified."

"Bones?" Jim asked.

"Rear Admiral." O'Neill said.

"I won't be there when he does become a Rear Admiral." Jim said.

"Maybe or maybe not," O'Neill said. "You are more than likely to be dead by 2364. You are a hero, Captain Kirk, a national American hero. Heroes only live for so long. You know, I kind of envy you for becoming immortal in the sense of the silver screen. Your image is immortalized in the movies, books, and TV shows. All for everyone to see. But what we do? Classified. No one sees it. But for the civilizations we visit, we are immortalized in stories and statues often times. NAKED! You are a lucky man, Captain Kirk, where all your missions are not classified."

Jim smiled.

"Well, that makes the two of us American Heroes." Jim said.

"Captain Kirk--" O'Neill started.

"Call me 'Jim', please." Jim said.

"Jim, you know what time it is?" O'Neill asked. "You should go to your cabin and catch up some you time."

"Thank you for answering my question. I only came down for that." Jim said.

"Good night,  Jim." O'Neill said.

"Good night, Mr O'Neill." Jim said, then he went through the doors.

O'Neill turned his head in the direction of the Klingon.

"I know you are wide awake," O'Neill said. "So stop pretending to be asleep. You know that you can easily rip out those binds. What is your name?"

"Frachik." Frachik's eyes opened looking over toward O'Neill with intrigue and fascination.

"I know a lot about you and Vulcans," O'Neill said. "So Frachik, what is your escape plan? Taking hostages? In Sick Bay, that is a bad idea.  In fact taking hostages in this room is the worst idea in the history of ideas. I mean there is limited room so that makes phaser aiming on target rather greater and the chance of you dying, kid, is greater than me getting back to Stargate command. So let's cut the crap you are doing."

"How did you know?" Frachik asked.

"You betrayed yourself by sneaking peeks." O'Neill said.

"Damn it." Frachik cursed.

"Your honor is tainted. So you are going to stage a hostage situation and get yourself killed. Now that isn't a great way to regain it." Frachik lowered his head. "If Kahless were here, don't you think he would tell you to regain your honor in a more logical and redeeming way?"

"My mate . . . I will not allow her to be ridiculed for my failure." Frachik said.

"What you are thinking is not the answer, Frachik," O'Neill said. "Surely you can regain it by participating in some Special Ops."

Frachik raised an eyebrow.

"Special Ops?" Frachik asked.

"Black Op's, kind of," O'Neill said. "Very stealthy people who get the job done. Special  Ops are for very special occasions."

"I will consider it." Frachik said.

O'Neill's right leg was numb.

"I hope you make a difference,"  O'Neill said. "But knowing Klingons, they always do."

"Your line of work makes it sound no one knows of your achievements."  Frachik said.

"It is true." O'Neill said.

"One day your line of work will be declassified," Frachik said. "And you  will be held the hero."

"Heroes don't live that long." O'Neill said.

"What makes you say that?" Frachik asked.

"Heroes have to pay for their heroic acts,what being the hero means, and making such impacts can be costly," O'Neill said. "One of those enemies could cut them down when they are in their prime." Frachik was listening, lowering his head down with a sigh. "I don't expect to live up to one hundred."

Frachik lifted his head up.

"Kahless lived a long life." Frachik said.

"How long exactly?" O'Neill asked.

"Five hundred years." Frachik said.

". . . But I heard Klingons lived to two hundred plus years." O'Neill said.

"Back in the time of Moloth, our climate was different and aging was slower," Frachik said. "I have heard some humans compare the story of Kahless, in some retrospects, to this Terran named 'Jesus' reforming his society and was sought to be killed by a leader deeply religious."

"In some ways, you must be the luckiest civilization not to fight over religion and get killed over it." O'Neill said.

"You call us lucky?" Frachik asked.

"Yes, that I am." O'Neill said.

"Our civilization is the unluckiest civilization in the name of civilization! Our luck ran out one hundred years ago!" Frachik said.

"That bad, huh?" O'Neill asked.

"Yes, it was . . . a time of despair and anger toward the ones who concocted it." Frachik said, bitterly.

"I get where you are coming from." O'Neill said.

"Hm?" Frachik raised an eyebrow.

"Humanity accidently invented aids." O'Neill said.

"And I thought the terrans were luckier than us." Frachik said.

"You are so wrong." O'Neill said.

"Would you wish to hear a tale of Kahless the unforgotten?" Frachik asked.

"I would love to," O'Neill said. "The tales I heard get contradicted from episode to episode between spin-off to spin-off."

Frachik smirked.

"Some of the tales are greatly exaggerated. . ." Frachik started.


	5. Treatment

"In a few hours, your friend is goin' to become comatose," McCoy said. "It has spread to his chest."

The bio-monitor showed O'Neill's health was poor but stabilized.

"Indeed." Teal'c said.

"What again can cure him?" McCoy asked.

"A symbiote . . ." Teal'c said. "Symbiotes were not given to those who were completely covered in the disease and if they had . . .  They risked the chance of killing the symbiote as well." The Jaffa's eyes landed on the resting man laid on the biobed seemingly at peace. "Though O'Neill would prefer not to become a host or be blended with a symbiote."

"Blended?" McCoy  asked.

"Becoming part of the symbiote willingly," Teal'c said.

McCoy rubbed his chin looking down toward the colonel then back toward Teal'c.

"Teal'c," McCoy said. "Is it possible . . ."

"Negative, he does not wish to be the subject to a Tok'ra."  Teal'c said.

"So the container you brought is purely for science?" McCoy asked.

"Affirmative." Teal'c said.

"I find that hard to believe when your friend is dyin' over there and you can bring him back." McCoy said.

"I respect his wishes and it will be a unfair breach of trust if I make him become blended." Teal'c said.

"You are willin' to let him die because he wants to?" McCoy asked.

"If there were a way to prevent this from happening, I would not allow my friend to die," Teal'c said. "He is a fine warrior and I am honored to have served along side him." McCoy sighed rubbing his forehead. "We are explorers not the Goa'uld."

"Sometimes we do thin's just to save our friends lives, Teal'c." McCoy said. "And they may be angry at first. What was the point of showin' us the container full of serpents? You were literately showin' us a way to save this patient."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow.

"You wanted to know what was inside," Teal'c said. "I was not baiting you, Doctor McCoy."

"Where do you suppose the serpents go once they are inside?" McCoy asked.

"Around the neck cords after they have selected a host that is not a Jaffa," Teal'c said. "The Jaffa of my universe, however, do not have this kind of arrangement. The symbiotes are inside our pouches, males and females, and we commonly take different Goa'old once every ten years. It will kill us if the Goa'uld reaches maturity and is not transplanted then given another symbiote."

"That is not sanitary." McCoy said.

"Nothing is sanitary when it comes to the Goa'uld." Teal'c said.

"Well, isn't that fascinatin'," McCoy stopped short realizing what he just said.  "Did you conspire with Mr Spock to make me say his favorite word?"

Teal'c raised an eyebrow at the comment in disbelief then he lowered it.

"Negative," Teal'c said. "I am puzzled as to why you are paranoid of one word."

"Are you Spock's long lost clone?" McCoy asked.

"I have been cloned at one point in my lifetime serving the Tau'ri." Teal'c said.

"What the hell is a Tau'ri?" McCoy asked, his arms folded.

"You refer to yourselves as humans and my universe refers to you as Tau'ri." Teal'c said.

"Listen here, there is two words interchangeably used to describe our civilization," McCoy said. "Terrans and Humans. Pick one and use it. Don't want to confuse the hell out of everyone on this ship."

Tealc appeared to be intrigued.

"Fascinating." Teal'c said.

McCoy raised an eyebrow.

"Sure you are not Spock's long lost clone?" McCoy asked.

"Affirmative," Teal'c said. "Spock would have to be one hundred for I to be his clone."

"YOU ARE A HUNDRED YEARS OLD?" McCoy raised his voice in shock.

"Affirmative." Teal'c said, with a short lived nod.

 **Thud**.

"Doctor McCoy?" Teal'c said, looking over the fallen doctor.

* * *

There was a wail through Stargate command and the Klaxons were radiating their red color.

"Daniel?" Carter said, coming out of her officer following after the man heading toward the gate room.

Chevron two was locked into place.

"I just got here," Daniel said. "It seems someone is attempting to get through the gate, again."

Chevron three was locked into place.

"I hope it is not the goa'uld." Carter said.

Chevron four locked into place.

"I feel the same way." Daniel said.

Chevron five was locked.

"General--" Carter started.

Chevron six was locked.

"Someone or some thing is taking control of the computers," Hammond said, as the two entered the Stargate operations room. There was a glass window that separated  everyone else from the gate room.  "I don't like hearing that."

Chevron seven was locked.

"What about the palm scanners?" Carter asked.

The operator turned in their direction.

"It says Colonel O'Neill authorized it,ma'am." The Stargate operator said.

Carter and Daniel exchanged a glance as the wormhole was established. The firing squad were ready and prepared to fire in designated areas.

* * *

 "Jim, that Jaffa is one hundred years old!" McCoy said.

"He doesn't look that old." Jim said.

"And he is Spock'ish." McCoy said.

"Bones, in what way is he like Spock?" Jim asked.

"You know what I am talkin' about Jim, so don't deny it." McCoy said.

"There is something . . . But I can't seem to touch it." Jim admitted.

"It's the eyebrow, isn't it?" McCoy asked.

"No, not that." Jim shook his hand.

"His military pose." McCoy said.

There was a pause.

"It is like lookin' at twins in two different bodies, ain't it?" McCoy asked.

No reply.

"So I am right. But Spock is younger than him. And since Teal'c's been around so lon' there is a good chance . .  " McCoy stopped. "Spock will outlive us. He will be the last of us to die, Jim."

"He is a Vulcan. They live long and prosper." Jim said.

"That they do." McCoy agreed.

"It is sad. A life span like that and Spock will see people he served with writher before his eyes and become dust. Nothing he can do." Jim said.

"He will remember the good parts." McCoy said.

"With us?" Jim asked.

McCoy nodded.

"If Spock were in this room he would mention his memory."  McCoy said.

Jim and McCoy laughed.

"That he would." Jim agreed.

"To be honest,  Jim? I think I will be the first to go." McCoy said.

"Bones. . . You better stick around to be one of my best man when I get married." Jim said.

"If it isn't Joanna, then I would be obliged to." McCoy said.

"We are just friends." Jim said.

"Just friends? Then why has she told me you have been sending her flowers!" McCoy said.

"Apology flowers. I may have sent her. . a Tribble." Jim said.

"A TRIBBLE THAT WASN'T STERILIZED?" A nurse went down the other hallway.  "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT YOU WERE GOING TO SEND ONE EARLIER TO HER?"

"Joanna said she could take care of it," Jim said. "Two days later I get a urgent letter requesting where to find a natural predator for Tribbles."

"Damn it, Jim. You don't just give a Tribble to a woman!" McCoy said. "You give a _sterilized_ Tribble to a woman."

Jim rubbed the back of his neck, sheepishly.

"You know what Spock's favorite word is?" Jim asked.

"'Fascinatin'."  McCoy said.

"And the Jaffa?" Jim asked.

"'Indeed'," McCoy said. "You know they say their favorite words a lot when around the other and a lot of eyebrow raising."

"Bones, I believe there should be a Catch Phrase Anonymous Help set up." Jim said.

"You know, they won't see any problem in that sayin' their favorite words," McCoy said.  "They are perfectly _fine_."

"But Teal'c is not," Jim said. "He is in a difficult time right now, and if it were me on  that biobed?"

"Spock would be on the bridge." McCoy said.

"But never the less concerned?" Jim said.

McCoy stared at the younger man.

"Are you implyin' that Spock would be experiencin' emotions?" McCoy asked.

"Of course I am," Jim said. "Remember the time he showed the slightest of all emotion with the Galileo Seven."

"I remember it very well." McCoy said.

"We should have a intervention for him. Something . . . to ease his concerns." Jim said.

"I know what exactly to do." McCoy said, as a smile grew on his face.

"What is it?" Jim asked.

"Best you don't know." McCoy said, going past the young man.

* * *

"You have excellent skills in this activity." Teal'c said, as Spock and he came out of the holodeck. 

"Soccer is a relaxing activity." Spock said.

"Indeed." Teal'c agreed.

"Who taught you to play soccer?" Spock asked.

"Daniel Jackson." Teal'c said.

"The archeologist." Spock said.

"Affirmative. He broke his glasses giving a head start landing in the mud." Teal'c said.

Spock raised an eyebrow.

"Landing in the mud?" Spock said.

"Face first." Teal'c replied, as Spock lowered his eyebrow.

"Why was he running in the mud?"  Spock said.

"He said it would be fun." Teal'c said.

"Illogical."  Spock said.

"Affirmative." Teal'c agreed.

They went past Chekov. Chekov came to a stop with a bewildered expression on his face seeing the two men walk right past with arms locked behind their backs. Spock was the first to bring up Occam's Razor with Teal'c. Chekov rubbed the side of his head feeling a headache. The Russian went down the hall. Though Chekov could hear what sounded like a faint 'Indeed' following the usage of the word 'fascinating' from Commander Spock. Chekov decided to visit Sick Bay just to be sure he wasn't getting a cold for extra measure.

* * *

 "What gave you this headache?" Nurse Chapel asked, after treating Chekov's headache.

Chekov was sitting on the edge of the biobed.

O'Neill was asleep.

"Mister Spock and Teal'c." Chekov said.

"So it is not just me." Chapel said.

"Nurse?" Chekov said, with a tilted head.

"Their personalities are alike," Chapel said. "It is like seeing two men who are personality twins with different appearances."

Chekov straightened his head.

"It did seem that way," Chekov said. "Thanks nurse for the treatment."

"You are welcome."  Chapel said.

McCoy was playing tennis with M'Benga in the holodeck. Seeing two fine attractive men, one of whom had muscles and a nice perplexion that complimented him, including the second of which Chapel fantasies about. Despite that kiss from years ago with Spock that made her want to curl up and die (as it was forced by telepathic strong willed beings) she was not unfazed. She had a healthy fantasy regarding a 'what if Spock told me he loved me?' even though there was no chance in hell it would. Now if the man with big muscles had pointy ears and swept upwards eyebrows then there would be at least some dirty images coming up in her mind. He spoke so. . . Vulcan. It turned out Chapel had a thing  for Vulcans.

There was no way in hell the Vulcan would come around to her.

Frankly by the ways of the Earth and how people viewed couples, Spock would married to two people. Everyone frankly knew that the captain and the commander were together.  Personally, Chapel believed that Spock was married to both Doctor McCoy and Captain Kirk. The long gazes Jim shared with the Vulcan. Chapel looked over toward the resting and illed patient then over toward the Klingon who frankly gave her the creeps and made her skin get chilly. He was reading a monitor that displayed a screen with a story. Frachik did not seem to be happy by where the story is going. He flipped the monitor away from his face with one slap.

"I must read the next Dick Tracy novel!" Frachik said.

* * *

 One hundred years, Teal'c has seen many, many, many things.

And done many things.

Many of which he feels ashamed of. Separating families were one of them. During his time as Apopthis's first prime. Killing the ones who wouldn't be able to keep up with the others while they fled to the tunnels.  When he did kill, it was out of mercy. At least that it was in his perspective. Teal'c could remember the look in the old man's eyes as he was separated from the group. The old man knew. He knew. There was that look in the man's eye. He stepped forward in Teal'c's direction. In order to help his family he had to die. He had to give his life. So he wouldn't be the one lagging them. Easier and quicker means of escape. One blast and the man was dead. Teal'c personally did not agree to how the Goa'uld done things.

And it was a logical death.

Revisiting the planet, with the help of his teammates, proved that he was a changed man.

Indeed that he was.

Captain Carter, Daniel Jackson, General Hammond, Doctor Frasier, and O'Neill.

They were as close as he could get to as extended family figures. Hammond was like the grandfather who cared, generally, about the grown up kids. Janet was like the aunt who tended to their wounds. Captain Carter was the one interested in science and apply it, often times posing as a sister figure toward Teal'c in ways that he could not describe. Daniel Jackson was the little brother who touched everything and got into trouble, a lot, sometimes Teal'c would come back holding him by the shirt collar after getting out of a highly dangerous situation. Teal'c felt like the older brother who would get his siblings out of trouble.  O'Neill would 'facepalm' himself and groan then request Captain Carter to dial them back before the guards came after them. These human figures for family units, Teal'c understood, came from watching television.

* * *

"Teal'c. . ." O'Neill said.

O'Neill's arms had become still and numb, the skin on his neck was blue becoming coated in what was apparently icicles. Frankly, O'Neill was getting bored. And then there was this other side of him that did not need the pity of a close friend. Nor did he want his friend to see him pass away in this manner. Teal'c had made the comment that the illness should have been going slower not fast. O'Neill did not feel hungry.  His lungs were struggling to continue their function. Breathing was a struggle but he was not in pain. Why? McCoy's hyposprays were at work.  His heart still beat but a bit limping.

"Yes, O'Neill?" Teal'c said.

"You don't have to watch me die." O'Neill said.

"You should not die alone." Teal'c said.

"We are never really alone, Teal'c. Don't you believe in the afterlife?" O'Neill asked.

"Negative." Teal'c said.

"Teal'c, I am ordering you to take a shower. You stink." O'Neill said.

"I do not stink." Teal'c said.

"The Terran's right, you stink like sto-vo-kor." Frachik said.

McCoy entered the room then pinched his nose.

"Who hasn't been taking a sonic shower?" McCoy asked.

All eyes went on Teal'c.

"I have." Teal'c said.

"That is it,come with me!" McCoy said. "I know where the sonic showers are."

Teal'c's gaze went over toward O'Neill.

"Shower." O'Neill said.

"I will be back." Teal'c said.

O'Neill's eyes closed, feeling heavy and he was thrust into sleep.

O'Neill fell into a coma then.

* * *

The lights in the USS Enterprise went out while Teal'c was taking his sonic shower. McCoy had a pair of fresh clothes on the chair right across from the shower. The binds around Frachik's joints retracted into the bed. Frachik was to be dropped off on the nearest Klingon starbase, afterwards, anyway. The starship had a form of 'glitching' occurring resulting from a tampering of the dillithium crystals. But who would have done that?

Frachik exited sick bay.

Frachik had overheard where the collection of 'serpents' were contained. From what he had overheard these serpents are capable of healing a injured warrior. O'Neill sounded like one of those warriors. Perhaps he could help. He had overheard the man did not want to be  the host of one of those serpents. He wanted to die, plain and simple.  But that would be unacceptable. He was not dying honorably, in fact, Frachik had no idea how he had contracted whatever was killing him.  He was certain that O'Neill had to live regardless of what he wanted. Frachik had gone to a liking with the older Terran.

So when he looked over the orbital shaped box set in the other room, naturally, he opened the lid and the inside of it was glowing a light green in the middle reflecting right back at him.

* * *

 He was so old.

Two thousand years.

He had seen the rise and the fall of the Goa'uld.

The Jaffa be created then thrive, rebel, and flourish.

He had shook his imaginary head watching numbers after numbers of Tau'ri be turned into slaves to be hosts for the Goa'uld. They would later be engineered to become the Jaffa. He had shown all signs of contempt when it came to forcing other species to be hosts. He had been part of the rebellion against the Goa'uld, joined the ranks of the Tok'ra, go to places where the Goa'uld had not known, operated in secrecy, infiltrated the Goa'uld, and gone against Goa'uld queens. Two in his lifetimes has he faced  Goa'uld queens. Hathor being one of them. Served as the first president of Chulak with his mate, a Tok'ra, hand in hand. Now? He has already imparted his wisdom to the younger generation. He was not needed.

He was entirely useless not being able to put his knowledge to use.

At least that was his train of thought.

He decided to visit the other parts of Chulak at the end of his presidency in 2223.

There were other nationalities, differently colored, different languages, god it had been so long since he traveled around Chulak! His wisdom was in his novels, autobiographies, history books, and so on. All of which chronicling his two thousand life. The cities he visited were unique and refreshing. He hadn't visited these places in a hundred years. They were better than he had seen them before in the mist of repairs from a civil war. Over something that was over-looked. His presidency was marked by scandals, some planetary wars, some protests, here and there non-hosted Jaffa claiming to be his offspring (countless denials from both the host and the Tok'ra itself), stupid laws he had to veto, and other matters. It was a stressful job that made his hosts hair slowly turn gray once per day per two hundred years.  When his presidency was over, his host's hair was gray. His host insisted to not have his hair color be changed by the Tok'ra.

When the Klingons came pounding on their doors, and caught them unarmed, he saw Chulak's civilization go down from millions to mere thousands.

They only survived because they waved a holographic white flag. They had been damned twice for getting rid of their forms of protection after the rebellion with the Goa'uld. Most of their men were not skilled in defending themselves against off-worlders but they did have plenty of competition with spears, knives, and strange weapons called 'guns' which had been the culprit to mass murders in their education schooling and malls. Their guns did not work against the Klingons.

So imagine his surprise when a Jaffa, wielding the name of a warrior who fell during the rebellion, came to the Tok'ra breeding program requesting for some Tok'ra for the sake of science and study. And that all the Klingons ditched the planet after his arrival. They valued their infants. The infants were fondly referred to as the primta. There was another planet that jointly functioned in terms of government with Chulak and it was called Farst. Being president of not one but five Jaffa planets was not a task that a Tau'ri should not be bestowed upon as the stress would kill them without a Tok'ra. To be honest he felt more at home on Chulak. The other four Jaffa themed planets had different progress in order: industrial, hydro-powered, agriculture, and power from the nearby sun.

His host was dying, anyhow, of old age.

He stopped using the sarcophagus two hundred years ago after the rebellion ended.

In fact the sarcophagus's were put into cold storage.

So the opportunity came knocking and he answered.

Used for science.

Supposably that is how a symbiote like a great Tok'ra should go.

He lunged first into the container and allowed others to take care of his host while he died, peacefully. He joined with the Primta's. They were so . . . they lacked a soul matter of speaking. They lacked a mind. It occurred to the Tok'ra that these were genetically programmed not to be in pain or experience. Compared to them he was dark and serpent like while they were innocent, long, and white. He rested in the middle until the container opener again. He saw faces staring down at him. One of which was a scowl to a white Tau'ri. Alongside the Tau'ri was a pointy eared Tau'ri like being with unusual eyebrows and across from him was Teal'c. A Teal'c. Teal'c took one of the primta's out explaining how useful and how scientifically it will be to the Tau'ri to understand the physiology of Tok'ra and Goa'uld alike. Then he put the primta inside the container then closed the lid.

When it opened again, he could see a brown face with ridges staring down at him.

For the second time in two hundred years, he felt a strange feeling.

Like fate.

A feeling he experienced before willingly being put into his second host.

However, he  could sense this one had good intentions.  As though this intended him to be used.  A temporary host.

It seemed obvious as the being's mouth fell open staring down at him.

Fate arranged this.

One last mission.

_I die free._

* * *

When the power returned, McCoy came back to Sick Bay to find Frachik on the floor beside O'Neill's biobed. _  
_

_Frachik was dead._

* * *

"It is amazin'," McCoy commented, coming out of the operation room. "Four hours and his body is gradually recovering from the disease. One dead Klingon and a dead serpent being absorbed into the body. I have nothin' like it in my life."

"Fascinating." Spock said.

"That is intriguing. Klingons are not known to go behind the backs of our world and do something good out of it," Teal' commented. "It is indeed a strange occurrence."

"So, according to you, the Klingons you saw on television never did go behind someone's back for a positive purpose?" Jim asked.

"Affirmative," Teal'c said. "Doctor McCoy, when will he be awake?"

"I would hypo him but in this case, he would still think he is dyin'," McCoy said. "He will have full mobility in a day. He should wake up on his own. Jim, what should we do with the Klingon's body?"

"I am sure they will understand he gave his life for another." Jim said.

"Teal'c, do you play  chess?" Spock asked.

"Affirmative. I have played wisely against President Hayes." Teal'c replied.

Spock raised an eyebrow.

"That sounds like a human name." Spock said.

"It is." Spock lowered his eyebrow. "His secret service warriors lack patience. And he is a remarkable player. I have been fortunate to won the chess game."

"Would you like to play chess with me?" Spock asked.

"Affirmative." Teal'c said.

The two left the doctor and the captain.

"Next thin' you know, they are goin' to have a club devoted to logic and only the logical ones can go in." McCoy grumbled.

"Bones, Teal'c won't be here that long," Jim reminded the doctor. "And besides, where would the logic be for Mister Spock to form a club?"

"To form a group and plot a over-throw of emotionally stimulated bein's." McCoy said.

Jim shook his head with a laugh.

"If that were to happen, have a phaser and some Vulcan Tea in ready." Jim said, then he too left.

"Damn it, Jim, just because  Vulcan tea is relaxin'  to them logical ones does not mean it can disarm Vulcans!" McCoy shouted after Jim.

* * *

 "What is the Stargate made of?" Spock asked, moving his chess piece.

"The highest element of the periodic table," Teal'c said, moving his white chess piece forward. "It is made of Naquadah."

Spock raised an eyebrow at the element once the chess piece came forward.

They seemed to be in a rather tense chess game. Their eyes were stuck on the chess pieces strategically thinking of how to get from point to the other. To Spock's left side there were plenty of Teal'c's chess pieces. To Teal'c's left side there were many of Spock chess pieces. Some of the off duty officers were surrounding the two watching the game play out. They had been playing at this game for hours. Intense silence between them. Spock would make a move. Then the silence would resume. Teal'c would contemplate how to make his move then when he decides he makes the move. Bets were being placed on who would win. The ones betting looked down toward their padds checking on something relating to the bets.

But awhile ago, Spock had decided to end the silence between them.

"It must be common in your world." Spock said.

Tea'c scanned the board then moved his piece forward.

"Negative, it is rare, and very dense." Teal'c replied.

Teal'c had moved his pawn into the middle of the dark knights.

"Fascinating." Spock said.

Spock tipped over the white piece.

"How common is dilithium, Mr Spock?" Teal'c said.

The chess piece was moved to Spock's side.

"Rare to come by." Spock replied.

A couple officers were chewing on their fingernails.

"I have wondered how  many Star Fleet has to power up eleven star fleet vessels in this time." Teal'c said.

There was a pause.

"Eleven." Spock replied.

Teal'c moved his chess piece.

"Interesting." Teal'c said.

There were two knights and one king on Teal'c's side.

"What does Naquadah do?" Spock asked.

Spock moved his knight closely toward the fellowship.

"It powers up Goa'uld technology." Teal'c said.

Teal'c moved his knight the opposite direction away from the queen

"Hm." Spock said.

"I have also learned it is in the Goa'uld bloodstream when it comes to operating the weapons. Which is unique .  . . I was unaware of this when Captain Carter brought it to my attention." Spock raised an eyebrow at that. "Your race has the benefit of not activating a weapon by their bloodstream."

"By the mere presence Goa'uld weapons activate?" Spock asked.

"Affirmative." Teal'c said.

"Fascinating. Your race is very advanced." Spock said.

"My people are free, for now, we do not have technology as you do. Compared to your society we are in lacking of padds." Teal'c said.

"So you consider yourself less advanced." Spock said.

"Affirmative." Teal'c said.

"That is a strange way of thinking." Spock said.

Teal'c nodded.

"Indeed," Teal'c said. "I am well aware. Captain Carter has pointed it out when it comes to transporters."

Spock tipped over the queen.

"Check mate." Spock said.

Some people threw their hands in the air  with a not-so-happy expression on their face and grumbled turning away to pay up with federation credits.

"You are a skilled player." Teal'c said.

Spock nodded.

"As are you." Spock said.

"It was a long and thrilling game,"  Teal'c said. "I am fortunate to have played against you."

"I am the best player in my field," Spock said. "You could have checked mated me, why did you not?"

"You had two knights, one queen, and one king, and one pawn."  Teal'c said.

"You had less than me and you could have easily surrounded my pawn." Spock said.

"If I had, in that amount of time you would have tipped my knight over with your other knight right by the side," Teal'c said. "He was pinned by your pawn and your knight."

Spock paused.

"That is logical." Spock said.

The two men stood up as the crowd dissipated around them. Some of them left the recreation room. Spock reordered the chess pieces back on the 3-D level platforms. Teal'c started to leave when Spock posed a simple question, "What did Colonel O'Neill do to earn your loyalty?" The Jaffa turned away from the door way in the direction of the Vulcan.

"O'Neill told me he could save people from being killed after a selection for Goa'uld hosts and requested my help," Teal'c said. "It was the first time I believed a person like O'Neill could achieve what he claimed."

Teal'c turned away then left the recreation room leaving a speechless Spock standing at the table.

* * *

"The container has been beamed down, captain." Scotty said.

"Good, we will be down in five minutes," Jim said over the comm. "Kirk out."

"What container?" O'Neill has just entered the room in a white shirt with a brownish green jacket right over it and dark jeans. Around his neck was dog tags and he had his hat on, apparently backwards. "Teal'c," O'Niell turned his head in the direction of the Jaffa who was alongside him. "You didn't mention anything about bringing a container!"

"It is for the Tau'ri," Teal'c said. "I hope they would be relieved to be capable of studying them."

"More juniors, really?" O'Neill asked, disgusted.

"Tok'ra." Teal'c said.

O'Neill felt along his face with a groan.

"Forget it." O'Neill said.

"They are being donated for the sake of science. No one will be a host, O'Neill." Teal'c said.

"Good." O'Neill said.

"O'Neill, there may be  a reason why you woke up speaking in Spanish." Teal'c said.

"What was it?" O'Neill asked.

"Your treatment." Teal'c said, boarding the transporter pad.

"What about it?" O'Neill asked.

"We used a Tok'ra and liquefied it," Teal'c said. "And then become a chemical. It was the doctor's insistence to hypo you."

O'Neill frowned.

"I do not believe you,T," O'Neill said. "Chemicals _cannot_ make me speak Spanish."

"Then what do you suspect?"  Teal'c asked as the man got on the transporter pad.

"Something smells fishy and  I don't like it." O'Neill said.

In a melodic like tone they were beamed down to the surface of the planet. The container had wheels underneath it. O'Neill's jaw came to a fall as he stared at what should be the Gaurdian. Teal'c raised an eyebrow. They were in a collective shock staring at the unusual site. Four minutes later Spock and Jim were beamed down to the surface. Spock's eyebrow shot up narrowly vanishing under his bangs. Jim appeared to be baffled.

"That isn't the guardian." Jim said

"He is a stargate?" O'Neill said. "Seriously? For crying out loud this is NOT funny, Universe!" He rubbed his forehead. "Dial us home, Teal'c."

The Dial Home Device was constructed differently. There were no buttons except for a circular screen surrounding the red gem that could be tapped on with the symbols. With a tap the symbols would glow a red color and remain brightened as the typical dial home device commonly found at typical stargate sites. The rim side was a shade of gray with a bottom of the device embedded into the ground surrounded by apparently weeds that had died.

"The Gaurdian of Forever said he was his own beginning and ending," Jim said. Teal'c set in the dial for their destination. "I recall that he looked nothing like a stargate. And I seem to recall that he could speak."

"Logically, he is a Universe Stargate." Spock said.

"A--what?" O'Neill asked, sharing a bewildered expression like the one Jim had.

"One that is personified and capable of turning to different kinds of gates," Spock explained. "Stargate Universes are likely extremely rare and could happen at any time. Teal'c and you likely went into one of those rare portals that appeared in place where you should have been going. There is a likely one billion out of ninety million two thousand three hundred forty-thirty chances of it occurring again. Once in a century it could happen."

"For once, that makes sense." O'Neill said.

"I agree." Jim said.

"That is logical." Teal'c said.

"I have a question," O'Neill said. "Just to settle the debate and all in my reality which is basically underground with the fanzines. Are the captain and you married?"

Jim laughed.

"At one point I was," Jim said. "Or still am."

"Technically, you are not married since your wife died with your unborn child." Teal'c said.

"Mr Spock?" O'Neill asked.

"Negative." Spock said.

"Not even a marriage bond? What about the psychic connection you share with Jim?" O'Neill asked.

"It is a friendship bond." Spock said.

"What about Doctor McCoy?"  Teal'c asked.

Spock raised an eyebrow, baffled, then lowered it down.

"Negative." Spock said.

Jim had a look of disbelief on his face.

"But I recall otherwise." Jim said.

"That was for a undercover mission, captain." Spock said.

"I have informed you of this before, they share a bromance, O'Neill." Teal'c said.

O'Neill sighed.

The eighth chevron locked into place making the ground tremble beneath their feet. The stargate was drawing enormous power from somewhere far but possibly close. There was a storm from the background striking the ground. It was clear in the location they were standing in. The gate's blue inside shot through about four feet out then returned into the event horizon. Teal'c sent the SG-1 signal using the spare device he had for the  SG-1 homing signal.

"Bromance would be appropriate," Jim agreed. Then he noticed from the portal something unusual. "Hey, what is that?"

O'Neill looked over to see from the portal the inside of the gate room.

"Our ride," O'Neill turned his head in the direction of Jim. "If you ever come to our reality just ask for me."

"How will we know we are in your universe?" Spock asked.

"Ask who is the president. President Henry Hayes. Ask if there were two fireballs in the sky back in 1997," O'Neill said. "If there was never a Hayes then you are  not in our universe. There are likely universes where I never joined SG-1, my kid lived, I and everyone with humanity died because of that stupid Naquadah bomb, humanity be enslaved by the Goa'uld, no Goa'uld getting interested in Earth, and worst case scenario no _Star Trek_. And no Teal'c."

"We will make sure to ask, Colonel O'Neill." Jim said.

O'Neill held his hand up.

"I am sure this goes without saying 'Live a long and exciting life', Mr Spock." O'Neill said.

Spock raised both eyebrows at that then lowered them down.

"Live long and prosper."  Spock did the correct salute.

Jim was largely amused as O'Neill lowered his hand then went in the direction of Teal'c.

"I hope we don't meet this way again," Jim said. "Because I might not be around."

O'Neill paused, with a sigh, then turned around with a sad but knowing look that turned into a scowl.

"You better stick around for the sake of the galaxy," O'Neill said. "Let"s go,T!"

 The two men went through the portal.

"Don't they remind you of someone we know?" Jim asked.

"Negative." Spock said.

Suddenly the gate vanished and  in its place appeared The Guardian within a blink of an eye.

* * *

Teal'c was the first to come through the gate wheeling the container down the platform with O'Neill by his side. O'Neill could see there being looks of shock and disbelief on their faces but mostly on Carter's face was relief. The men lowered their guns. The iris closed behind the two men.

"Hey guys!" O'Neill said. "You are never going to believe where we were for three days!"

**The End.**


End file.
